Damn!!! Women’s experience was super horrific back then. What do you mean your husband can separate from you, but you can’t do the same? What do you mean husbands were allowed to beat their wives provided that they do not break their bones? And even in instances where they break their wives’ bones, the women would still be punished for reporting their husbands to the authorities. This is serious!!! Zero empathy for victims, the audience were already saying she reported her husband because of a small matter. SMH. Big ups to Luxiang and the rest of the Lin family member for upholding justice for first sister.
I genuinely don’t understand what Scholar Han did to make some of you dislike him. So far, this guy has not done anything to be disliked in this drama, and I’m actually quite amused by the level of dislike I’m seeing.
Or did he later become a villain in the novel? Could that be why? Because otherwise, I really don’t get it. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s just a decent man who likes Lanxiang and wants to marry her. What did I miss?
I went through the comments, and I find this interesting. Almost everyone agrees that the second madam handled the domestic violence situation terribly and selfishly, especially because one of the major reasons she didn’t want the marriage to fall apart was her concern about how it would affect her own daughter’s marriage prospects. But she was also very much a product of her time. Women were raised to see marriage as something you endured for life, to preserve the family at all costs, and to accept that a husband had the right to “discipline” his wife. There was no easy option of simply leaving, and domestic violence could be treated as one of those things a woman was expected to endure.
And yet, nobody is saying, “Well, she was a product of her time,” “that’s how people thought back then,” or “you’re judging a historical drama with modern standards.” Nobody is accusing anyone of using a feminist lens to judge her. Yet those are exactly the arguments I kept seeing whenever Lin Jinqi was criticised. I’ve noticed that when it comes to male leads, people can become incredibly defensive, to the point where you’re apparently not allowed to simply say, “This thing he did was wrong.” I just hope we maintain this same energy going forward. Being in modern times and watching a historical drama doesn’t mean we have to suspend our ability to recognise and criticise behaviour we consider wrong. Historical context can explain an action without making it above criticism.
i loooooooooove this drama. it made me rethink of the freedoms that i enjoy now. im so glad i was born free--…
Do you get? It just shows how much the society has evolved. It is not perfect but compared to those times, it is 100% better. What do you mean I can’t even earn money, rent or own a house, and that I would be at the mercy of men for survival when I am not handicapped. Not a good experience at all.
K-Drama 
Every episode is empowering as always. 👏👏👏👏
Or did he later become a villain in the novel? Could that be why? Because otherwise, I really don’t get it. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s just a decent man who likes Lanxiang and wants to marry her. What did I miss?
And yet, nobody is saying, “Well, she was a product of her time,” “that’s how people thought back then,” or “you’re judging a historical drama with modern standards.” Nobody is accusing anyone of using a feminist lens to judge her. Yet those are exactly the arguments I kept seeing whenever Lin Jinqi was criticised. I’ve noticed that when it comes to male leads, people can become incredibly defensive, to the point where you’re apparently not allowed to simply say, “This thing he did was wrong.” I just hope we maintain this same energy going forward. Being in modern times and watching a historical drama doesn’t mean we have to suspend our ability to recognise and criticise behaviour we consider wrong. Historical context can explain an action without making it above criticism.
Episode 31 is super powerful. I recommend to be watched two times daily.